Is benchmarking the right path to improving outsourcing?

Alternatives to benchmarking for comparing processes, costs and service delivery in a short time frame.

In the competitive world of outsourcing, benchmarking tends to become all about cost and price comparisons. Too often, conventional benchmarking is done as a one-time project to prove a point.

However, benchmarking, at its most effective, is built-in and ongoing—it's part of a thoughtful, overall strategy that drives continuous improvements toward major goals over many years. It's not a silver bullet, it's an operational philosophy that's tied to long-term business goals.

The good news is, if you haven’t been benchmarking all along, there are other ways to compare processes, costs and service delivery in a short, meaningful time frame.